Combined brush-cutting and road-scraping machine



. July 1 1927- A. FRFFSCH COMBINED BRUSH CUTTING AND ROAD SCRAPiNGMACHINE Filed March 27. 1.926 '2 Shtqtg-Shoot 1 INVENTUR nal/5rr'filrsm' m/dw July 12, 1927.

A. FRITSCH comsnmn sausa CUTTINGPAND ROAD 5011111 11111 MACHINE vFilb'd' March 27. 1924 2 shoots-shun 2 i INVENTDR An us-r FE'ITSEHATTORNEY Patented July 12, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATIENT OFFICE.

AUGUST FRITSCH, 0F ENGELFELD, SASKATCHEWAN, CANADA.

COMBINED BRUSH-CUTTING AND ROAD-SCRAPING MACHINE.

Application filed March 27, 1924. Serial 0. 702,309. 7

frame carrying a moldboard to which brush cutting knives may beattached, so that the machine may be used, for instance, to cut brush orother obnoxious growth alongthe sides of a road, after which the grounddisturbed or torn up by the cutting of the brush may be graded by thesame machine upon removal of said brush cutting knives.

With the foregoing in view, the inven tion has for a further object theprovision of a machine of this character having a frame structureadjustably supported upon ground wheels so that the moldboard and brushcutting knives carried thereby may be vertically adjusted withrespect-to-the surface of the ground traversed without changing theparallel relation of the same.

In addition, the invention has for a further object the provision ofmachines 'for raising and lowering the forward or rear portions of themachine as required.

The'invention has for a further object, the provision of a combinedbrush cutting and road scraping machine in which the blades maybereadily attached or detached and the draft attaching means reversed whenconverting the machine from the brush cutting machine into the roadscraping machine or vice versa. r I

Withthe foregoing and other objects in 7 view, as willv appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention consists in'the novel construction,combination and arrangement of co-operating elements, ashereinafter morespecifically set forth, claimed and shown in the accompanying drawingsforming a part of the present application, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan viewof the machine assembled as the brush cuttingmachine.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the machine as shown in Fig. 1. V I

Fig. 3 is a detail'section, substantially on the plane of line 33 ofFig. 2, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Fig. 4 is a detail section, substantially on the plane of line 41-4 ofFig. 3, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective of the blade to be substituted when themachine is assembled as a road scraping machine.

.Referring more in detail to the drawings in'which similar'referencecharacters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,it is to be noted that the machine includes a mainframe composed of thelongitudinal side frame member 10, a forward angularv sideframe member11 and a rear angularside frame member 12. This last mentioned sideframe member 12 has a portion 13 bent to form a rear frame memberconnected with the rear end of the 1011- gitudinal side frame member '10by a corner connecting member 1 1 or other suitable means; The angularside frame'members 11 and 12 are connected at their'respective rear andforward ends by'a'connecting plate 15 having angular edges 16 or byother suitable means' The transverse frame member 17 has one end securedon the plate 15 while its other end is secured between brackets 18connecting the same with the longitudinal side frame member 10, as shownclearly in Fig. 1. It will also be seen from Fig. 1 that the forward endof the angular side frame member 11 is connected 'with the forward endof the longitudinal side frame member 10 by a connecting bracket 19 orother appropriate means. It is also to be noted in the drawings that theframe member 12 is preferably composed of angle iron to strengthen theframe structure. The transverse platform 20 is extended across the framestructure and an appropriate drivers seat 21 is mounted thereon; Thetransverse rearaxle 22 is suspended in suitable bearing brackets 23suspended in the rear end of the frame structure and has ground wheels24 mounted thereon. An adjusting lever '25 is employed for adjusting theheight of the axle 22 by raisingand lowering the same with respect tothe main frame. A link connection 26 is formed between the lever 25 andthe axle 22 and the lever 25 may be readily locked in adjusted positionon the segmental rack 27, which latter is supported in a suitable manneron the platform "20,

while the lever 25 is pivotally mounted on the auxiliary frame member28. It is also to be seen from Fig. 1 that the bearing brackets 23 aresuspended on a transverse supporting rod 29 extended through the rearportion of the main frame and forwardly of the rear axle 22.

A pair of parallel diagonally extended frame members 30 are provided inthe forward. portion of the main frame with their rear ends secured tothe transverse frame member 17 while their forward ends connect with theforward diagonal side frame member 11. The axle 31 is extended acrossthe auxiliary frame members 30 and carries the traction wheel 32 havingthe angular plates 33 provided on its periphery and extending diagonallyacross the same at a dif ferent angle from the angle at which thetraction wheel 32 is positioned in the main frame. Pinions 34: arecarried on the opposite ends of the axle 31 and work on racks 35 insubstantially inverted U shaped hearing brackets 36 carried on theauxiliary frame members 30, for the axle 81. A worm wheel 37 is carriedon the axle 31 and driven by the driving worm 38 meshing therewith andcarried on the forward end of the adjusting rod 39. A suitable bracket10 is mounted on the axle 31 to support the forward end of the adjustingrod 39. It will be seen from 1 and. 2 that the adjusting rod 39 extendsthrough the guide bracket 11 pivoted to the upstanding supporting member12 carried on the transverse frame member 17 and the hand wheel 13 isprovided on the rear end of the adjusting rod 39 within ready reach ofthe operator, for operating the adjusting rod 39 to raise or lower theaxle 31 and thereby regulate the height of the main frame with respectto the surface over which the machine is operating.

The series of standards .44. are mounted on the forward angularlyextended frame member 11 and braced by inclined bracing members 14connected therewith at their upper ends while their lower ends aremounted on the longitudinal side frame member 10, the transverse framemember 17 and one of the angular frame members 30. The rail is mountedon the upper ends of the standards 1 1. This structure may be seen inFigs. 1 and 2 and it is apparent that the standards 44 and rail 45 willprotect the traction wheel 32 from thebrush cut by the machine duringoperation of the same as the brush cutter. The rail #15 may beconstructed of angle iron, as shown in Fig. 2, or in any other mannerdesired.

The series of staggered cutting blades 46 are secured on the outturnedlower edge 17 of the scraper 4E8 mounted on the outer face of theangularly extended forward frame member 11, as shown clearly in Figs. 1and 2.

The cutting edges of the blades 46 are slightly offset from one anotherand in substantially parallel planes wit-l1 the cutting edges of theblades positioned in advance of one another-toward the forward end ofthe machine, so that each blade will follow the one forwardly thereof inits cutting action on the brush, as the machine advances, thereby givinga series of glancing or diagonal cuts to the brush during operation ofthe machines. This may be clearer understood as the descriptionproceeds.

The draft means for the machine includes a clevice 19 carried on theforward ends of the draft bars 50, which have their forward endsparallel and secured together, while their main portions diverge afterbeing extended in substantially parallel relation. the extreme rear ends51 being again turned and extended rearwardly and also slotted. Theattaching members 52 are extended through the rear ends of the draftbars to secure them to the longitudinal side frame member 10 and one ofthe auxiliary frame members 30, as shown clearly in Fig. 1. It will beseen from this view that the main portions .of the draft bars 50 areextended outwardly across the longitudinal frame member 10 before beingextended forwardly in parallel relation and connected, thus supportingthe clevice 19 outwardly of the longitudinal side frame member 10, aswell as slightly forwardly of the same. A brace bar 523 is connected byone end to the connected forward ends of the draft bars 50 while itsother end is attached to the forward end portion of the longitudinal endframe member 10, thereby bracing and assisting in supporting the draftbars 50 in' proper position. A pointed guide blade 54 is adjustablymounted in the clamping bracket 55 on the longitudinal frame member 10,near the forward end of the latter and in depending position, so as toserve to guide the machine in a straight forward direction and preventthe same from swaying from side to side while cutting the brush.

This operation of the machine as a brush cutter will be apparent fromthe foregoing paragraphs taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings without further detail description. Attention may be directed,however, to the position of the cutting blades 46 and themountingthereof with relation to the draft means and the Lngularlypositioned traction wheel 32 and rear axle 22, as the relative positionand arrangement of these parts assure efficient operation of the cuttingblades 16 on the brush at all times during operation of the machine. Theconstruction of the main frame and the mounting of the operative partson the same also assure efiic-ient operation of the machine as abrushcutter with the minimum strain on the different parts.

It is apparent from the foregoing disclosure that the invention isparticularly adapted for road Work, to first cut brush from along thesides of the road and subsequently grade along the sides of the roadWhere the soil has been distorted and turned up as a result of the brushcutting operation.

For road scraping or grading purposes, such as premised, the centre ofdraft should be in front of the scraper 48. This is made possible bydisconnecting thedraft rigging 50 from the main frame and reversing thesame, as indicated in dotted position in Fig. 1.

What I claim as new is:

In a machine of the class described, comprising in combination a framestructure; said frame structure being formed with one portion inalignment With the direction of travel, a second portion having itsforward end connected to and being disposed at an acute angle relativeto said first portion and a third portion connecting the rear ends ofthe first said portion and the second said portion; an auxiliary framesupported intermediate the said frame structure; a main supporting Wheelmounted in said auxiliary frame and acting as a fulcrum relative to saidstructure; a means for raising and lowering of said auxiliary frame andsaid frame structure relative to said main supporting Wheel; amould-board carried by said second portion of said frame structure; atransverse supporting rod carried between the first and third saidportions of said frame structure; brackets each having one end pivotallymounted on said rod and extending rearwardly therefrom; an axlesupported in the other ends of said brackets; ground Wheels mounted onsaid axle and a means for fixedly adjusting said Wheels for tilting saidframe structure relative to said main supporting Wheel.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature.

AUGUST FRITS-CH.

